ISLAMABAD: Pakistan rolled out the red carpet to welcome Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday as the two sides hailed their ironclad friendship and pledged cooperation in various sectors.

The Chinese premier who was primarily visiting to attend the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation`s Council of Heads of Government meeting starting today arrived a day earlier on Monday to meet civil and military leadership.Li Qiang, who arrived on a four-day official trip, is the first Chinese premier to visit Pakistan in 11 years. He was received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifatthe airport.

The visit is taking place at a time when security challenges have become a major strain on bilateral relationships, leading to delays in project completions and prompting China to reassess its investments in Pakistan.

Airport inauguration For the first of his many official meetings scheduled during the visit, the Chinese premier arrivedat the Prime Minister`s House, where he was given a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of three armed forces.

Later, the two sides held delegation-level talks, followed by the signing of 13 accords to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of security, education, agriculture, human resources development and science and technology.

The two leaders also inaugurated the newlycompleted Gwadar International Airport in a virtual ceremony.

The airport`s construction, which began in October 2019, faced delays due to various challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, regional security concerns, and the slow pace of work on connectinginfrastructure, such as road networks and other utilities.

The $230 million project, financed primarily by a Chinese grant as part of CPEC, also received a $17.5m contribution from Oman, with Pakistan providingnecessary ancillary facilities.

Describing Gwadar as the cornerstone of regional development, Premier Li pledged that China would continue to play a pivotal role in Pakistan`s progress.

He said the strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China is `constantly deepening` and highlighted their `unique and unbreakable time-tested ironclad friendship,` which has endured through a shifting global landscape.

During the ceremony, PM Shehbaz thanked the Chinese government for its `generous contribution` to the airport`s construction.

He also reassured his Chinese counterpart that his government would work closely with China not only to implement the second phase of CPEC but also to ensure the safety and secu-rity of Chinese workers.

Later, in a post on his official X account, PM Shehbaz called the meeting `productive` where the two sides expressed satisfaction at the progress of CPEC initiatives.

`We also discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in multiple areas including trade, investment, economy, energy, agriculture, IT, and defence as well as regional peace and security.

Delegation-level talks A high-level meeting between the delegations from both sides, led by the two prime ministers, preceded the airport`s inauguration ceremony.

A statement from the PM`s Office said both leaders expressed satisfaction over the strength of the bilateral ties. They reaffirmed support for each other on `core issues` and reiterated the commitment to the development ofCPE C Phase 2.

The two sides stressed the need for the timely completion of ongoing projects in key sectors, including industry, agriculture modernisation, IT, and science and technology.

The discussions also covered the relocation of Chinese industries to Pakistan and strategies to increase Chinese investment.

After the talks, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of 13 MoUs.

They exchanged agreements and other documents, including the handover of the Smart Classrooms project, minutes of the 13th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee of CPEC, and the 7th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Gwadar under CPEC.

Cooperation was also agreed upon regarding CPEC employment promotion, information and communications, water conservation, flood control, and security.Pakistan and China also agreed to jointly produce TV programmes and signed a `Currency Swap Agreement` and a `Protocol on Quarantine Requirements` for the export of donkey meat to China.

Meeting with military leadership Premier Li also met with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, according to ISPR.

The discussions focused on defence cooperation and counterterrorism efforts. Mr Li praised Pakistan`s armed forces for their pivotal role in combating terrorism and assured China`s continued support and assistance in Pakistan`s fight against extremist threats, according to the military`s media wing.

With input from APP